Digital Cluster turns off at nightfall

[jmur61]

My 84 Vette Digital Cluster goes black completely at nightfall and lights up at day break. A few nights back it did a number on me that nearly startled me; the two signal lights lit up solid for a few minutes than went black again. Besides sending it for repair, is there anything I can try to fix it?

[hexonxonx2000]

My wife's '84 does the same thing.. sort of... It actually does it intermittantly... both the turn signals and high beams indicator come on... I've been told by several people to just send it in and have it rebuilt ... I think Ecklers does it ...

Sorry Couldn't help more than that....

[DannyC4]

my 84 does that too, once in a while, when I turn the key on the ignition switch, both the turn signals and the high beams indicator turn on, it goes back to normal after I teach my dash a few karate lessons, LOL! Good luck with yours.

[jmur61]

hexonxonx2000 & DannyC4,
Thank you both for your replies.
I am glad to know I am not alone with this problem.
I tried something very silly yesterday...I bought an LED and placed it inside the cluster, connected the wires to the live headlight wire and to the chassis, now when I turn on the headlights, the LED turns on. It helped a little. I can now see the digits but dim; as opposed to nothing.
I also noticed there is small square opening on the cluster bezel which I believe is the LED night sensor, I will open the cluster again and trace the circuit of that LED.

[DannyC4]

Good luck with that man!

[89IROC&RS]

eh..... cant say as i ever ran into that problem. sounds a bit like a loose weld on the circut board that is making and breaking contact. you can probly easily track the problem and resoder it yourself, but its kinda a hit or miss thing, you might be better off sending it out to be repaired.

[slacker_53]

I realize that this is an old post, but this would seem to be related to your headlamp system. When you turn on your headlamps, your instrument panel is supposed to dim. (You don't need as much light to see it after dark) Be sure that your panel dimmer is turned up all the way, maybe they are just dimming, but you have them turned down so much that they appear to be out.

I'm not sure what automatically dims your panel when you turn your headlamps on. It could be the panel dimming switch, the headlamp switch or it could be the ecm. I doubt if the problem is in the panel itself.

Only my two cents

-slacker

[hexonxonx2000]

Originally Posted by slacker_53

I realize that this is an old post, but this would seem to be related to your headlamp system. When you turn on your headlamps, your instrument panel is supposed to dim. (You don't need as much light to see it after dark) Be sure that your panel dimmer is turned up all the way, maybe they are just dimming, but you have them turned down so much that they appear to be out.

I'm not sure what automatically dims your panel when you turn your headlamps on. It could be the panel dimming switch, the headlamp switch or it could be the ecm. I doubt if the problem is in the panel itself.

Only my two cents

-slacker

This is not a related issue ... the lights on the dash do not dim... they completly shut off... It's a common problem and I will send out the cluster for repair to fix the problem... Thanks though...

[slacker_53]

Glad you've got a handle on the problem. I don't suppose getting the cluster fixed is going to be inexpensive.

I hope that fixes you up.

-slacker

[jmur61]

Thanks for your replies.
Where would be a good place to send my cluster for repair?
This is my only transportation and would like a fast turn-around.

[DannyC4]

try ecklers, but I dont know how fast you gonna get it back. Good luck man!